Practice Lessons
by prospectkiss
Summary: Maya wants to learn how to kiss. She turns to an unexpected mentor - Edgeworth.


_**Author's Notes: **_This was the very first story I ever wrote for the _Ace Attorney_ fandom.

* * *

Edgeworth slowly turned down the volume on the radio behind him, the notes of Beethoven's _Moonlight Sonata_ drifting through his office like a mournful ghost. The last rays of sunlight filtered through the windows, reminding him that most of the other prosecutors and staff had already gone home. He waited, wondering if he had truly heard the knock at his door or if his mind was playing tricks on him.

As he turned back to the case file on his desk the knock repeated, hesitant but louder. Annoyed at the disturbance so late in the day, he pulled the door open, glare firmly in place.

"M-Mister Edgeworth."

The glare slipped into a brief look of surprise as Maya Fey looked up at him.

"Miss Fey." He glanced past her, expecting to see the spiky hair and blue suit of Wright hovering nearby.

"It's just me," Maya said. "Nick's not here."

"Oh. I see."

Edgeworth stared at her, unsure of how to proceed. He almost always encountered Maya with Wright in tow. They stood awkwardly in the doorway.

"Can I come in?"

"Ye- Yes, of course," he said, standing back and pulling the door open.

She moved inside, eyes roaming around his office, amazed by its luxury. "Wow, your office is nothing like Nick's!" She gaped at the framed suit on the wall. "Was this yours? It's so fancy! I can see why you'd want to frame something like that. Maybe I should frame my old clothes and hang them in our office, and then we could be cultured, too."

Edgeworth closed the door and moved over to his desk, folding his arms in front of him.

Maya turned in place, noticing the statue behind his desk. Her eyes seemed to pop out; Edgeworth momentarily worried they might actually fall out of her head.

"Is… Is that a Steel Samurai figurine?! I had no idea you were such a fan! I've been trying _forever_ to get Nick to watch the show with me…"

"Miss Fey." Edgeworth held up a hand to divert her attention. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"Oh, um…" She looked down, her ocean of words subsiding. "Well, you see… There's something… I-I thought you could help…" Even in the dim light, Edgeworth could see her face turn pink.

He frowned. "Please, sit down." He gestured toward the sofa and Maya sat in the center, hands folded in her lap. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"No, that's ok. Nick and I just had hamburgers a little while ago."

He waited, arms stiff at his side. He had not spoken with Maya very often, and the absence of Wright made this encounter all the more… awkward. He put on his usual look of indifference to mask his unease. "Miss Fey, if you require assistance-"

"Maya," she interrupted, looking back up at him. "Just call me Maya." She smiled and tilted her head to the side. "Can't you sit down too? It feels weird with you standing there." She scooted over and patted the cushion beside her.

He blinked at her, and found himself moving to sit next to her.

"There, that's better." She grew quiet and looked down at her hands, closing her eyes for a moment as if in prayer-

-_Or bracing herself_, Edgeworth realized. He had seen the look before, when witnesses gathered their thoughts before detailing what happened at a crime scene.

"Mister Edgeworth, I need your help with something. Something kind of personal," she finally said.

"Miss- Maya, I'm sure there are other people more suited to help you with personal matters than me," he said, "Wright, for example, or perhaps someone from your hometown-"

"No!" She grabbed his hand, squeezing it tight. "Nick can't know yet, and there's no one home who'll work. Please, it has to be you." She looked at him meaningfully, eyes boring into his.

Edgeworth pulled his hand away, mouth open to protest. But before he got a word out, Maya continued.

"I trust you, Mister Edgeworth." She smiled again, something about the way she said _you_ caught his attention. She looked so earnest. Against his better judgment, he slowly nodded.

"Very well, what is it that you need?"

"First, you have to promise not to tell anyone," she said.

He frowned again. "As long as it is not something illegal, I… I will not tell anyone."

"All right." She drew in a deep breath and looked at him straight on. "I need you to kiss me."

Edgeworth stared, certain he had misheard her. "I'm sorry, I don't think I heard you correctly."

"I said I need you to kiss me." She broke her gaze and looked away.

He drew in a breath of his own. This had to be some sort of nightmare. Wright's assistant had _not_ just said that. The silence between them dragged, the air becoming thick with… _something_.

"Maya, I don't know what sort of impression you have of me, but I do not just randomly _kiss_ anyone who asks," he started, panic starting to rise. "This is ridiculous, you must be-"

"Please, listen to me," she stopped him, a part of him growing more irritated with her constant interruptions. "There's someone that I- that I like, and I want to show him that, and a kiss is the best way to tell someone how you feel, right?" She looked at him desperately, eyes pleading to hear her out. "Except I don't really know how to kiss, and I don't want it to be bad, and I need someone to teach me."

Stunned, Edgeworth said the first thing that passed through his mind: "But why me?"

"Because I trust you," she answered, turning pink again. "You've been there for me in tight spots before. And, well, you're…" she waved her hand at him, as if to explain just how he 'was.' He stiffened, and she hurried on.

"I know you don't like me that way, and so it would be safe and just instructional, right? I'm sure you have a lot of experience," she finished, flush deepening.

Edgeworth glared at her, considering. It was true that they had been through some interesting experiences together, and he had to admit he was fond of her. He frowned as he thought over her last words. "And what makes you think I have so much experience?"

"Well, you just seem so… classy and refined, I mean who could resist you?" Maya smiled again, daring to look a bit mischievous.

"Have you considered that I might be in a relationship and that your request is extremely inappropriate?" he countered, amazed that he was actually contemplating her strange entreaty.

"Oh! Well, it wouldn't mean anything, right? You're just showing me what to do, it's not like there would be anything between us." Her face had turned bright red.

He glared at her for what seemed like an eternity, until his gaze softened. He owed a great deal to Maya Fey; one lesson in romantic affairs would not be so troublesome, would it?

"All right," he said quietly, hardly believing his own words.

_Wright is going to kill me…_

He leaned forward and hesitantly cupped her cheek; it was warm and pink, and very soft. "You're sure about this?" he asked, hoping she would reconsider.

She nodded. "Please, teach me everything you know."

He quirked an eyebrow. "Let's just… start here."

Maya closed her eyes and pursed her lips out, holding completely still. He moved closer to her, smirking at how comical she looked. "Don't do that. Just stay relaxed," he instructed, hovering next to her mouth. Her eyes flew open and she gasped, surprised at how close he had suddenly gotten.

He used her shock to pull her closer and touched his lips to hers in a chaste kiss. They both stilled. After a moment he pulled back; her eyes were still wide.

_Isn't this what you wanted?_ Edgeworth blinked, beginning to reconsider this bizarre lesson.

"That's it?" She frowned and shifted, disappointment flitting across her features. "But… But that's not like a real kiss. That's like what I do with Pearls, there's nothing romantic about that!" She moved closer to him, her legs brushing against his. "You have to give me a real kiss." She leaned toward him again, eyes closing again.

He stared at her, an unfathomable expression on his face. Wordlessly, he pressed his lips to hers again. He moved them slowly, pressing gently against her upper and then her lower lip. "Like this," he coaxed, breath ghosting across her lips, as he pressed in a bit harder.

She shivered and began to mimic his movements, returning the kiss.

Edgeworth lost track of how long they spent, pressing gentle kisses to each other's lips. Nothing was rushed, and he found himself pushing her hair away from her face as he caressed her cheek.

He pulled back, hand slipping to the back of her neck, as he drew in a breath. "Remember to breathe," he said, eyes tracing the shine on her lips. She loudly breathed in and pushed against him, starting the kiss again.

Maya grew more confident, becoming enthusiastic with her movements and pressing harder against his mouth. He tilted her head and brought his other hand against her arm, unaware that he was drawing her nearer.

Their movements sped up, growing more intense, and Maya wrapped her arms around Edgeworth's shoulders.

Her mouth was so soft, Edgeworth found himself thinking. She was pliant, following his lead, eager to continue kissing. He realized he was actually enjoying this, as strange as it seemed.

He pulled away again, breathing heavily. Maya too tried to catch her breath. "Am I doing it right?" she panted, tracing her fingers over his lips.

"Lesson two," he said, ignoring her question and capturing her fingers in his own hand. He ducked his head and pressed against her mouth again. She immediately began moving her lips as before, eyes falling closed.

Edgeworth opened his mouth and ran his tongue along her lower lip, licking softly. Maya made a muffled sound in her throat and stilled. He traced around her whole mouth, tongue moving gently, before coming back to her bottom lip and pressing more insistently. Slowly her lips parted. He moved his hand to her chin and tilted her up, and gingerly dipped his tongue inside her mouth.

He felt her gasp as he moved, tongue flickering against the inside of her lips, then tracing across her teeth. He briefly touched his tongue to hers and she moaned, one hand coming to rest against his chest.

He explored her mouth carefully, thoroughly, chasing after the taste he could only describe as Maya herself. She let him take control, groaning and shivering when their tongues touched again.

He kissed her until she was breathless, until he himself ran out of air and they both drew back, gasping. Maya had a glazed look on her face, and she absently used the back of her hand to wipe her mouth, breathing heavily.

Edgeworth found himself appreciating the role of instructor, especially when the student was so… willing. He realized he was becoming affected by the ordeal, and shifted on the sofa to hide his growing reaction.

"All right," Maya said suddenly, eyes glinting with determination and… something else. Edgeworth had never seen such a look on her face before. His pulse sped up. She leaned over to him, grasping his face in both of her hands, practically shifting into his lap. "Lesson two, got it. Now let me try…"

She covered his mouth with hers again and swiped her tongue along his lips. Immediately he opened and she plunged inside, clumsily pushing forward and knocking their teeth together.

Edgeworth made a choked noise in the back of his throat and pushed her back. "Gently," he said, hands on her shoulders, squeezing into her robes. He didn't have time to say more as she pushed in again, mouth insistent and hot and moving frantically over his. He groaned and parted his lips, and this time caught her tongue with his own.

He swirled his tongue around hers, one hand moving up to press into her hair as the other slid along her neck. Maya made a soft mewling sound as their tongues danced, moving her own hands into his hair and down his back.

The kiss sped up, the dance becoming a duel for dominance as Maya slid back into his mouth, tracing his lips and teeth as he had done to hers. He felt a jolt run through him as she plundered his mouth, enthusiasm making up for experience.

She was a good student, he mused, stroking his tongue with hers, his own movements becoming erratic as he tried to match her frenzied pace.

And without warning Maya threw her leg over his, leaning forward and pressing her chest against his as she straddled his lap and continued the kiss.

The logical part of Edgeworth's mind told him to push her back, that this was becoming something more than a simple lesson; but that part was immediately silenced as she suddenly slowed and pulled away a bit. He opened his eyes in time to catch a curious, devious glint in her own as she bit down on his lower lip, nibbling and licking and oh god, he hadn't taught her this yet…

He tore his mouth away and moved his lips next to her ear, gripping her tightly and inhaling the sweet scent of her hair. "Since you're so eager," he panted, voice low and husky, and he was thrilled to see her tremble a little, "lesson three."

He caught her earlobe and gently bit down, nibbling and sucking at it before he swiped his tongue along the shell of her ear, delighting in her gasps and moans. He pressed his lips below her ear and slowly kissed a wet trail across her jaw to her chin.

Her fingers tightened on his back and small moans escaped her as he kissed along her neck. He reached her throat and pressed a kiss into the dip, licking her skin. She tasted rather like peaches, he noted, before thought was replaced with a desire for _more_. He dragged his mouth to the junction of neck and shoulder, moving aside her bulbous necklace and robe to suckle and tease.

She gasped, and he felt her fingers prying at his cravat, tugging and trying to tear it away. He reached up and loosened it himself, and she immediately latched on to the bit of neck exposed. He groaned as he leaned back, content to let her attack his neck with lips and tongue and teeth.

She was really rather good.

She slowly moved down his neck, coming to the top of his chest, one hand tight in his hair as the other prodded at his shirt. Unexpectedly she pressed her whole body taut against him and ground her hips into his.

There was no mistaking what she found there. She abruptly lifted her head and stared into Edgeworth's eyes, face unreadable. He felt a cold chill wash over him and his eyes grew wide. Their movements stilled and the air grew tight.

_Oh god, that wasn't supposed to happen. She-_

She smiled. He blinked as all the tension seemed to diffuse as she leaned in and put her lips to his ear, rubbing the rough edge of his cheek.

"Mister Edgeworth," she breathed, "I think-"

"_Edgeworth!_"

She froze as they both heard his name called out. She gasped and threw herself off, smoothing her robes frantically. Edgeworth rose and hurried over to the tea set in the corner, quickly fixing his cravat and keeping his back to the door in an effort to hide his condition.

The door flew open as Wright stormed in. "Edgeworth, have you seen-" He spotted the figure on the sofa.

"Maya!" he exclaimed, pressing his hand to his temple. "Do you realize how long I've been looking for you?"

"Sorry, Nick," she said sheepishly, avoiding his eyes.

"What's wrong with you? You look at me all funny over dinner and just bolt out the door? What are you doing here?"

"I just… needed to talk to Mister Edgeworth about something," she mumbled, looking at the prosecutor in the corner.

Edgeworth drew a steadying breath and turned around, instant cup of tea in hand. "Care for a cup, Wright?" he asked, hoping his friend missed the small tremor in his voice and his hand.

Wright glanced between Maya and Edgeworth, frowning. "Just what's going on?"

"I just… needed Mister Edgeworth to translate something," Maya spoke up, eyes glinting as inspiration hit. "I saw a new poster that we could hang in the office, and I wanted to get it as a p-present for you," she continued, face turning slightly pink, "but it was in French." She looked at Edgeworth meaningfully, and he nodded almost imperceptively.

"I asked Mister Edgeworth to translate it for me, and it sort of turned into a- a lesson in French…" She smiled at Edgeworth.

_Can Wright really not see how devious she looks?_

Wright looked puzzled. "Well, what did it say?" he asked Edgeworth.

Edgeworth carefully kept his face passive. "_Rien n'est vrai que ce qu'on ne dit pas_." He looked over at Maya, fixing her with his gaze. "'Nothing is true except what isn't said.' Antigone, I believe."

She blinked, looking surprised.

Wright tilted his head. "I suppose that could fit, in an oblique kind of way. After all, we gotta pry the truth outta people with our nails, don't we Maya?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah Nick." She stood, fidgeting. "We should probably go now, right?" She pushed against Wright's back, practically shoving him out the door.

She ducked her head back inside and smiled softly. "I don't think I'll give Nick that… present after all," she said, "but I would like to keep learning French with you, Mister Edgeworth."

Edgeworth glared at her, fiercely searching her eyes. His gaze finally softened as he came to the door, fingers barely an inch away from her own. "Then your next lesson, Miss Fey, is to translate this yourself: '_L'amour c'est etre stupide ensemble_.'"

He closed the door with a loud click and thumped his head back, wondering what on earth had just happened.

_Love is being stupid together_.


End file.
